Parliamentary Monitoring Organisations In Nigeria Want NASS To Prioritise Interest of Citizens
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
Nigeria’s National Assembly, NASS, has been asked to prioritise the interest of citizens above political and personal pursuits.
A group of Civil Society Organisations under the aegies of the Nigeria Network of Parliamentary Monitoring Organisations, NNPMO, which made the call in Abuja, also expressed reservations on the performance of the 10th assembly in its first year in office and noted that the lawmakers have been insensitive to the grave hardships being experienced by Nigerians across the country.
In a statement to assess the first year performance of the 10th NASS, the NNPMO lamented that instead of prioritising the concerns and interests of citizens, federal lawmakers have been embroiled in cases of corruption allegations, ineffective and ineffectual oversight of the executive arm of government, and attempts to trivialise the mounting sufferings of Nigerians.
The Parliamentary Monitoring Organisations, PMOs, while rating the performance of both legislative chambers of the National Assembly, stressed on how the parliament has been embroiled in so much drama during plenary sessions and at committee levels, earning them more negative feedback from the public, triggering public outrage which the lawakers appear to be impervious to.
The group recalls that in October 2023, the NASS was criticised over its decisions to splurge billions of naira on exotic vehicles for lawmakers.
It also recalls how the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, remarked on “prayers to lawmakers mailboxes” during a live plenary proceeding, suggesting that huge sums of money had been sent into the bank accounts of senators to enable them ‘enjoy’ their holidays.
The NNPMO decried the decision of the Senate to sweep under the carpet the scandal spurned by Senator Abdul Ningi’ allegations of budget padding in the 2024 budget, noting the suspension and recall of the whistle-blower without getting to the bottom of the issue is a shameful travesty on the part of the senate.
While criticising the parliament over the July 2023, N70 billion palliatives for lawmakers which drew a lot of backlash from Nigerians; the PMOs tasked the National Assembly to be mindful of the harsh economic conditions in the country in its consideration of plans by the government to acquire new jets for the president and vice president.
The statement noted that drawing on all of the above and more, the group believes the 10th National Assembly has not done much to demonstrate that the interest of citizens is its utmost priority and as such, urged the lawmakers to switch gear going forward and change the narrative of service delivery in the next three years as the NNPMOs will be steady and firm in putting the feet of the NASS to fire in the overriding interest of the citizenry.
